The most famous events
in the capital are the London
Marathon in April and the Wimbledon
Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and
Croquet Club, Church Road, Wimbledon, SW19 (telephone: (020) 8944
1066) in June and July.
Just outside London, Ascot
Racecourse, Ascot, Berkshire (telephone: (01344) 876 876 (tickets)
and Epsom
Downs Racecourse, Epsom Downs, Surrey (telephone: (01372) 470
047) host Royal Ascot and The Derby, both held in June.
Tickets to major sporting events can be purchased through Ticketmaster
UK (telephone: (0870) 534 4444).
Athletics
Major athletic events take place at Crystal
Palace National Sports Centre, Ledrington Road, SE19 (telephone:
(020) 8778 0131).
Cricket
The home of cricket’s governing body, the Marylebone Cricket
Club – MCC (telephone: (020) 7289 1611), founded in 1787,
is Lord’s,
St John’s Wood Road, NW8 (tel: (020) 7432 1066 (ticket office),
which also hosts league, cup and International Test matches. Major
athletic events in London take place at Crystal Palace National
Sports Centre, Ledrington Road, SE19 (telephone: (020) 8778 0131;
web site: www.crystalpalace.co.uk).
Fitness centers
Public fitness centres where it is not necessary for one to be a
member include Chelsea
Sports Centre, Chelsea Manor Street, SW3 (telephone: (020) 7352
6985), and the massive Oasis Centre, 32 Endell Street, WC2 (telephone:
(020) 7831 1804), situated right in the heart of the West End.
Football
Most Londoners are fanatical about football and the FA Cup
Final in May was always held at Wembley Stadium. The FA
Cup Final will be held in the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff
until Wembley re-opens (at the earliest 2006).
Support for one of London’s several Premiership football clubs
divides the city. Arsenal
(telephone: (020) 7704 4000) and Tottenham
Hotspur (telephone: (020) 8365 5000) are based in north London
and are keen rivals, while Chelsea
(telephone: (020) 7385 5545) and Fulham
(telephone: (0870) 442 1234) are based in the southwest of the city.
West Ham United (telephone: (020) 8548 2748) has
a loyal following in the east, while Charlton
Athletic (telephone: (020) 8333 4000) represents the Premiership
in the southeast of the city.
Golf
Regent’s
Park Golf and Tennis School, Outer Circle, Regent’s Park,
NW1 (telephone: (020) 7724 0643), offers professional lessons. The
English Golf Union (telephone: (01526) 354 500) have information
on many of the capital’s golf courses.
Rugby
National and international Rugby
Union is based at Twickenham. Local clubs include Harlequins,
Wasps, Saracens
and London
Irish . Rugby has been growing in popularity since England won
the Rugby World Cup in 2003, beating Autralia 20-17 with a breathtaking
drop goal by Jonny Wilkinson just 26 seconds from the end of a thrilling
final in Sydney.
Swimming
Seasonal open-air swimming pools include Brockwell Lido, SW9 (telephone:
(020) 7274 3088), and Parliament Hill Lido, Hampstead Heath, NW3
(telephone: (020) 7485 5757). The Oasis Centre (see Fitness Centres
above) has an indoor as well as an outdoor pool and is open year
round.
Tennis
Outdoor public courts are available at Regent’s Park, NW1
(telephone: (020) 7486 4216), and at Islington Tennis Centre, Market
Road, N7 (telephone: (020) 7700 1370), also has indoor courts. |
